The Eternal Queen
by Adrian Celsius
Summary: It's perfectly fine to accept life's givings as we live. But sometimes, it doesn't hurt to see what lies beyond the curtain.
**A/N: This is a quick, fluffy, one-shot for a MUxNyx from Fire Emblem: Fates, specifically, a post-Revelation world. It's a couple that I've grown very fond of over the course of my run of the game, and I just HAD to write something about them! I hope you enjoy!**

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 **The Eternal Queen**

Corrin looked to the skies at the balcony that stretched from the castle walls. Judging by the position of the moon, it appears that midnight was upon him. He was expecting something any second now. He hoped that it would arrive soon, lest what he had planned be prematurely spoiled.

Looking down upon the small town below, Corrin smiled at the small lights that dotted the houses of the sleepy little burg. The town of Valla was progressing very nicely. In mere months, the grassy, vacant lands he used to peer across was beginning to become a true town. Perhaps in a few years, it would be a city that would match Windmire. Perhaps even Cyrkensia. Since his ascension to the throne and becoming the new Vallite King, Corrin had dedicated nearly every waking moment to rebuilding the once great invisible kingdom. He continued to stay determined in his quest. With the generous land that the kings of Hoshido and Nohr had granted him, it was very much within his grasp. It simply required time, patience, and nurturing the newborn babe that was the kingdom he has inherited.

Tapping his foot impatiently on the balcony's marble floor, Corrin continued to look upward, hoping for a sign of anything from the heavens. She should have been here by now. The Vallite King grew a bit anxious and nervous. At any time, his wife could stroll into their bedroom and see him on the balcony. It would not have been a terrible thing to have happen, but he preferred to have the element of surprise. Nothing could beat what he had in store tonight.

A twinkle from out of the corner of his eye caught Corrin's attention. Was it just a blinking star? Looking off to the distance, he squinted to have a better view to see something moving- flying- from across the fields. There was no doubting it: She was here! Corrin's heart settled down in his chest, finally put at ease.

Approaching the balcony at a steady pace was Lilith, the young Astral Dragon. She had been gone from the castle on a direct order from Corrin in search of something, and after nearly three days, she had returned. In her mouth rested what Corrin hoped he had been searching for.

"It's good to finally see you again, milord." Lilith spoke perfectly, despite the object in her jaws.

"Me too, Lilith. I was worried you would be late." Corrin smiled gratefully and took wha seemed to be a tablit from the small dragon.

"You forget, Corrin. Time within the astral plane passes differently from our realm. While it may seem like a short time for you, I was gone for months on end."

Of course. A nugget of info that passed him by. Corrin raised a hand and stroked the small dragon's smooth head. "Right, sorry if I seemed insensitive about that."

"Don't trouble yourself, milord. If need be, I would have spent years drifting through the old kingdom if only you but ask!" Lilith gleefully responded.

"Well, rest assured I don't intend to ask you to do that ever again. I only needed this one item. With this in my hands, there's nothing more I need from the old Valla." Corrin held the blanketed, circular object in his hands. He had heard legends about this item from Azura once or twice. It was an extremely rare artifact that only existed in Valla. With the remains of the old kingdom being nothing but floating bits of rock, it was now the only one of it's kind and the last proof and heirloom of a place that no longer exists.

"Splendid! If you are happy, then so am I, milord." Lilith playfully bounced on her crystal ball as she spoke. It was usually her only means of conveying joy with her diminuative form.

"Lilith," Corrin chuckled. "I told you, it's just Corrin. You don't have to act so formal around me. You're practically like my younger sister. There's no need to be so uptight."

"S-Sister?" Lilith stammered. She levatated a few paces away from Corrin from hearing his answer, but no further. Herlarge amber eyes briefly had a glint in them when she composed herself. "Yes, of course... Corrin."

"There you go. That's not so hard, is it?" Corrin reached out to give the small dragon another pat on the head, earning another cute grin from her. "Alright. That will be all, Lilith. Go and get some well earned rest, okay?"

"Yes, mil- I mean, Corrin. Heehee."

A final exchange of good-byes lead to Lilith departing to her own room in the castle while floating atop her crystal ball. Corrin looked upon the object he had wanted to hold for the passed half-year since the conclusion of the war. To think, he finally had something so precious in his hands. He could hardly believe it. But as happy as he was to have it, there was another who would find even greater value with it.

His thoughts were cut short when he heard the doors to his room opening behind him. Perfect timing. The short figure walked into the dimly lit room, wearing a billowing robe that covered most of their body. Corrin could see a smile on their face, even from the shadows of his quarters.

"Why are you standing out there, love? You're liable to catch a cold in this weather. It IS still winter after all." A youthful voice called from within.

"There you are, Nyx. Enjoyed your bath?" Corrin peeked over his shoulder, holding the flat item against his chest protectively.

Stepping forward into the nippy night air, the young sorceress wrapped her arms about Corrin's midsection and nuzzled her face into his shoulder blade. She felt so warm against his clothed skin. He could tell she was fresh from the bath house. Even her hair was still a bit damp.

"I always enjoy a good soak. Especially before bed. Although I could do without this cold air around us." Nyx huffed. Relinquishing her grip from Corrin's body, she tried beckoning him inside with a faint tug at his hips

A quick exhale escaped the King's nose as he tried to supress a laugh. She was always so eager to have him at her side during the night.

"Nyx, do you remember when we first met? You told me that you had been searching for something?"

"Hm?" The dark mage raised an eyebrow upon hearing the question. That was well over a year ago. Back when Hoshido and Nohr were at each other's throats. After a bit of thought, she recalled what he was talking about. "I do. That was when I was pursuing that foolish dream of finding a mystical mirror. So that I may one day see what my true face looks beyond this childish body."

"Right. I remember that conversation like it was yesterday. I remember how much you intimidated me even though I thought you were much younger than me." At this, Corrin could not help but laugh. Such great memories.

"Well, as I always say; appearances can be decieving." Nyx replied with a singsong tone.

"Speaking of deception. I also remember the day I proposed to you. I showed you that mirror and said how it brings luck to the one who shows it to their potential betrothed."

"Ah, yes. the so called 'magical mirror' that was the key to our union." Nyx giggled. She always knew that mirror was a phony. Not that it mattered to her. By the time Corrin even asked for her hand, Nyx had already grown so complacent with having Corrin near. Her playing along with his little mirror gag was just inulging in both of their playfulness. And yet, how much it made her heart soar to hear him express his ideal vision of how she looked. The idea of unlocking her true self seemed to be an afterthought when faced with someone who loved her the way she was.

"That's the one." Corrin could feel his heart quicken as he grew more excited about his little treasure. "So, I've decided that I want to make up for that little trick."

Finally turning to face her, Nyx's eyes easily caught onto what Corrin held in his arms. She turned her head up to look into his eyes, waiting for a response. Corrin offered his hand to Nyx with a gentle grin on his face. Once she held onto his palms, she was guided further out to the balcony, fully exposed to the cold elements.

"Do we have have to speak out here?" The young mage protested with a frustrated tone, holding her arms about her to midigate the chill running down her spine.

"I just want to see your face in the moonlight. I promise it will be worth it." Corrin replied. Without another word of explanation, the King extended his arms with the blanketed object presented before him.

Nyx eyed the circular, flat article and glared back up to Corrin's face. Whatever it was he wanted to show, it had better be worth it. Taking the item in her own hands, Nyx carefully removed the cloth that bound the trinket, letting it fall to the floor.

"Okay, what is..." She began. Her words caught in her throat when she gazed upon it. It was a mirror. But not just any ordinary mirror. When Nyx peered into the reflective pane, she saw not the form she viewed as grotesque and monstrous. She saw... herself. Herself as she was meant to be. A woman who was considerably older than she appeared. A tall, slender person with more pronounced features. Large, shimmering eyes with wrinkles just under them, a set of full lips and feathered dark hair that reached all the way down to her knees. Some of which was starting to show a bit of gray.

Nyx was left speechless. For so long she had been imagining what her adult form would be. For so long she had grown accustomed to the form she would forever be in. Finally, after decades of fantasizing and picturing the perfect image in her head, she came face to face with her true self.

"C-Corrin..." Nyx choked out. She was at a complete loss of words. A hand reached up to cover her mouth and help to hide her gasps and hiccups. Warm tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her face for the first time in so long. The last time Nyx remembered crying was the day she was inflicted with her curse. She cried and sobbed for two days straight after coming to terms with what happened and reflected upon the ramifications it would impose on her life. And now, here she was, crying tears of immense happiness after seeing something she had been longing to see.

"A while ago, Azura told me about how Valla was known to have crystals and gems that could reflect the truth." Corrin said, approaching his wife. "Some of those were used to make accessories. Rings, jewelery, and the like. However, someone had a mind to create mirrors from them. Only one artisan knew how to make them, and after he passed, what few he had made were scattered across the old kingdom."

Sniffles and gasps were his only response. Nyx was still undergoing the shock of reality before her eyes. She was hearing what Corrin said, but did not have the words to convey her thoughts just yet.

"Since these mirrors never left the old kingdom, they simply became a legend. Chronicled and passed down through books with no easy way to find the truth." Corrin continued. "I knew it was a long shot, but I asked Lilith to search through the old kingdom to see if she could find anything, because..."

He moved in even closer and hugged Nyx close to his chest. He stroked her cold, damp, hair with one hand and firmly held her close. Leaning his head down, he whispered into her ears ever so gently, "...because I wanted to see your face when you saw the truth."

Nyx returned the gesture and wrapped her arms about Corrin's back. The tears never stopped flowing. It felt as if all that she had bottled up inside, all the years of frustration and seclusion, were finally breaking through the dam and flooding her emotions. She never thought she had the right to cry. Not after all the pain and suffering she caused. Now, here she stood, having nearly all she wished for her entire life coming true.

"I love you. I love you so much, Corrin!" Nyx wailed into his chest. She cared little for whoever heard her. She could have awakened the entire town for all she cared. She simply _had_ to say it.

"I love you too, Nyx. All I ever want is for you to be happy." Corrin replied. He held one hand over Nyx's puffy cheek, tracing the whispy markings with his thumb and leaned in to grace her lips with his own.

Suddenly, it seemed as if the cold air around her had no effect anymore. Nyx's eyes dreamily fluttered shut as she stood on her toes to try and meet her husband's kiss equally. Nyx considered herself a relatively chaste person, mostly due to her perception of her own image, but she never denied the urge to indulge in her more romantic side. When she did sucumb to her baser instincts, it was an enchantment that none of her hexes and spells could match.

The two separated their kiss, admittedly a bit too soon for their liking. The couple allowed themselves to release each other for the time being.

Nyx looked back at her visage within the mirror, very taken with her beauty. If Corrin were to see the woman she would have turned out to be, he would fall in love all over again. Still, it would be nice if he knew the truth.

"Corrin, would you like to see as well?" She asked, holding out the mirror. Mere seconds after her eyes pulled away, a small crack appeared on the flat pane. Nyx was certain it had not been there before... Before long, the crack grew wider and spread farther from the center of the mirror and soon shattered from within the frame. "Ah!" Nyx gasped in surprise.

Rather than glass, the shards of the mirror fell in a shower of sparkles and disappeared before they hit the ground. The only remnants of the mirror's existance was the frame that used to house it.

"Gods..." Nyx lamented, looking through the hollow frame. "I was afraid of that. The legends say that only minutes after seeing the mirror, it breaks. Apparently, revealing the truth places far too much stress on the magical properties of the mirror..."

"That's okay, Nyx." Corrin reached out to hold the frame in his wife's hands. Taking it into his own, he held it aloft so that it perfectly framed her face. "I can see how you look just fine." He flashed an impish smile.

"Huh?" The Queen narrowed her eyes after such an odd statement. "Is that supposed to be humorous? You know how I feel about jokes concerning my image." Nyx tried to come off as offended, placing her hands on her hips and furrowing her brows. To Corrin, it just made her look adorable.

"I told you before, a long time ago; I can always imagine what you look like. I don't need a mirror to help me see your inner beauty."

"Hmph." Nyx crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks out. Indeed he did say that. She knew Corrin meant well, but still, if only she could see _his_ face when he witnessed the truth. It was hardly fair that he had not yet seen her for what she really was.

"Oh, don't be like that." Corrin chuckled as he offered his hand to his wife. "I'm much better off seeing you as you are now. After all, it's the only you I'll have the pleasure of seeing for the rest of my life, right?"

"I suppose." Nyx rolled her eyes dismissively. Sound logic, to be sure, but she still would have preferred if he at least had a peek. Taking his hand into her own, the King and Queen left the balcony and retired to their private quarters.

The gentle, warm, veil of darkness was a welcome change from the moonlit chill of the evening sky. Corrin found a place for the mirror frame somewhere above their bed. Although the mirror itself was gone, the intricate craftsmanship of the frame was still the only piece of old Valla that they had. What better place for it than the room of the royal Vallite family?

Once that was done, the couple crawled into bed next to each other, grateful for the warm blankets and soft pillows surounding them. Just as Nyx was all set to drift off to sleep, she could feel Corrin inch closer to her side of the bed. Drapping one arm over her body and settling in against her back, Corrin whispered into her ear.

"Nyx, it's passed midnight."

"I know, and you won't be keeping me up any later." Nyx whispered back. She pressed her face into the pillow to hide a smile growing on her face.

"Aw..." Corrin pretended to pout.

"Now go to sleep."

"Okay, but what's today's date?"

"The 16th?"

"It's _after_ midnight, love."

"The 17th?"

"Yup." Corrin hugged Nyx even closer to him, letting his body heat envelope the smaller girl. "Happy birthday."

"..."

Silence. The couple lay together without a single word between them after that. Corrin held onto his breath, wondering if Nyx was ignoring him, or if she had fallen asleep so quickly.

"Nyx?" Corrin asked after the deafening silence proved too much. "Did you enjoy your present?"

Hoping for a response this time, Corrin patiently awaited for Nyx to say something. Perhaps she really had fallen asleep? In his head, Corrin counted this as a complete let down. Still, he respected her wishes and allowed her to sleep. They both needed their energy for the coming day anyway.

Just as Corrin shut his eyes and readied himself for a dream-filled night, he felt his wife stir in his grasp. His eyes shot open just in time to catch her turning over to meet his gaze with her piercing eyes. It was a little hard to tell, but he thought he saw a smile on her face.

"Yes. I did enjoy my gift. Thank you very much, my love." She whispered.

"Hm. You're welcome." Corrin replied, ending his sentence by stealing one more kiss from his wife.

"So..." Nyx continued. Corrin suddenly felt a pair of hands push at his chest and lay him flat on his back against the bed. Nyx quickly occupied his eyes as she perched herself atop his hips, looking down at him.

"Maybe I'll let you keep me up just a little longer." Nyx giggled faintly.

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 **A/N: Hello everyone! It's REALLY good to be back after so long away! I understand there's been a demand for me to continue my other fic, A Noble heart's Desire. And let me tell you this: It's gonna happen. Very soon. I was out of it for a long time, but I'm finally ready to get back in the game and finish what I started almost two years ago!**

 **First though, I wanted to try and stretch my muscles again. So after shotgunning through ALL three games (Special Edition hype!) I had so many ideas for what to write about. This time, I just wanted to do a quick feel-good short to just get the juices flowing again. Think of this as a formality. It's more for me than anything else, because I wanted to make sure I still got it. Now all that's left is up to the audience. Please leave a review and let me know what you think! I want to make sure my skills haven't atrophied after this whole year of absence. Rest assured, I am back in action!**

 **To all who took the time to read through this story, thank you very much!**


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